Please help ID this Leupold scope

[Hutch]

I bought a scope from a club member that has me confused. It is marked Vari-X III 4.5 x 14 Long Range. It has duplex reticle, target knobs that are covered, side focus, and has a 30mm tube. The thing that puzzles me is that the the customary gold ring around the tube is blacked out. Also, looking at the current catalog, which I realize doesn't apply to a Vari-X III, only shows the 4.5x14x50 LR in the Mark 4 line, which also has the blacked out "Gold Ring".

Does anyone know what scope I have? I got it straight off the other guy's rifle, with no box or papers, but with an elasticized leather-looking bikini cover. Also, a guesstimate as to its value would be nice, also.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Hutch]

Anyone?

 

[dogrunner]

Sounds like you might have acquired one of the Chinese look alikes!

Leupold themselves'l tell you quickly if its legit.........one's I've seen are very close in appearance to a genuine Leupold and a lot of folks have found out they got taken when they sent the instrument in for warranty work!

 

[Hutch]

Anybody else, else?

 

[Dave816]

Post a pic and that would help..............
doesn't sound to good tho

 

[Hutch]

I am away from home on bidness, so I'll post a pic when I get back. I just visited the Leupold site (why I didn't start there, I'll never know...) and posted a question for them as well.

Thanks to all so far.

 

[hksw]

It sounds to me that you have a Vari-X/VX III transition model before Leupold extended the Mark IV line to include variables. The line blacks out the Gold Ring. The year before Leupold extended the line, I bought an 8.5-25X50 LR (with gold Gold Ring) converted with M1 turrets and Mil Dot by Premier Reticles. When the official version came out by Leupold, they were still Vari-Xs (the change to non-index lensed VXs hadn't been done yet) with the Gold Ring blacked out, IIRC. (There may have been a short period where the Gold Ring was still gold.) It was also at this time they cut their ties with Premier Reticles.

Do insure you don't have a Chinese copy, just follow Leupold's identifiers on their website.

 

[Hutch]

Thanks. When I get home I'll have another go at it. Still no response to my question to them (Leupold)

 

[Hutch]

I found the counterfeit warning on the website, and my scope doesn't have the earmarks. By the S/N (H suffix), it appears to made in 2000. Wish them boys would wake up and answer an email...

Sorry for the crappy phone pics. My digicam seems to be hors de combat.